Boivin: Cards have chance for big streak

by Paola Boivin - Oct. 26, 2009 09:53 PMThe Arizona Republic

It's easy to romanticize a big victory when the reference point is a history of failure.

The celebration of the Cardinals' 24-17 victory over the New York Giants on Sunday night is about more than that. The performance was pivotal because it spoke as much about the future as it did the past.

Only two of the Cardinals' 10 remaining games are against teams with winning records. Their next five opponents - Carolina, Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis and Tennessee - are a combined 7-24. In this bizarre NFL season riddled with have-nots, the Cardinals will benefit from having the 0-7 Rams on their schedule twice and the 0-6 Titans and 1-5

Lions once.

"It doesn't matter if we're playing a team with no losses or all losses," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "In this league, every week is tough."

It's true, and one would expect Whisenhunt to say that. Every team has the propensity to rise above its shortcomings on a given Sunday. But for once the Cardinals are better equipped to handle the mental gamesmanship that comes with playing an inferior opponent.

Do it, and securing one of the six NFC playoffs spots is within their grasp. After a run of average foes comes the potential of a season-defining eight days. On Dec. 6, they host the Vikings in what could be a battle for a first-round bye, and on Dec. 14 they visit San Francisco for a "Monday Night Football" game.

What has changed? Players are more focused on the moment and on embracing the importance of fine-tuning technique in practice, a trait that was evident in the defense's performance against the Giants.

"We have a good thing going with our defense as far as accountability and belief in each other," Whisenhunt said.

Players are enjoying the game more. No one has been more successful this season at walking the fine line of commitment vs. entertainment than Darnell Dockett, who was punched in the facemask by frustrated Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw.

On Sunday night, Dockett was in the middle of many defense stops. On Monday morning, he gave a shout-out to Bradshaw and the punch on his Twitter account: "That (bleep) felt like a (Scooby) snack. Glass Joe on Mike Tyson hit harder than U."

Glass Joe is an old-school video-game reference of a weak and overmatched French boxer.

Weak and overmatched is what fans use to think of the Cardinals. It has taken several months of on-field therapy - surviving adversity - for the Cardinals to rise above the challenge of expectations

It used to be about the expectations of losing. Then it became about the expectations of winning.

"(It's tough) to go the Super Bowl and not have the respect of a lot of people who are saying you were a fluke," Whisenhunt said. "It's almost like you are walking on eggshells, because you don't want to make a mistake. . . . You get so worried about making a mistake that you make mistakes."

When the Cardinals finally learned they could rebound from setbacks, it made the approach to facing an opponent - whether it's a David or a Goliath - the same.

"If the focus is (only) on what we are doing and how we are executing, then we have a good chance to win," Whisenhunt said.

Carolina, at 2-4, is a David.

The Panthers stir powerful memories. The Cardinals caught the nation's attention in last season's NFC divisional road playoff game when they were 10-point underdogs and won by 20.

Nice memories, but Whisenhunt insists the team isn't reflecting on them. Good idea.

A victory over Carolina at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday would put the team one step closer to the postseason.